AFN Golden League Jackpot Rocks Akure TodayPRESIDENT of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Solomon Ogba, believes the criticism that greeted the performance of Nigerian athletes at last week's 118th Penn Relays competition in Philadelphia, USA, was uncalled for.Some athletics critics had written off Team Nigeria's chances of doing well at the London Olympic Games after the country's 4x400m men's relay quartet led by Team Nigeria track and field captain, Saul Weigopwa, placed 13th in the overall classification with the time of 3.09:01 at the event. The women relay team had earlier ran 3.31.59 to finish fifth.But Ogba, who just returned from venue of the competition in Philadelphia, USA, said that it was wrong of anyone to tag Nigeria's relay team a failure ahead of the Olympic Games.Speaking with The Guardian in Lagos yesterday, the former Delta State Sports Commissioner asked: 'Does these people who call themselves critics expect our athletes to be running 'fire' in April when the Olympic Games is in July-August' I can see that those who call themselves athletics guru in the country know nothing about this game. They should better keep their mouths shut and watch what will happen between now and the Olympic Games.'At the end of the 118th Penn Relays in Philadelphia, some of the critics accused the AFN leadership of embarking on jamboree trips.One of those critics is former Nigerian hurdler, Moses Oyiki, who said: 'We must stop all these jamborees to justify some flimsy and dodgy expenditures and concentrate on areas we are very strong.'This dismal display can only cause distractions, which we do not need at this critical time. If the 4x400m relay team cannot meet a set target within a period of time, let them be onlookers and not participants where they will further embarrass us.'Instead of jamborees, they (AFN) should expose budding athletes at such relays and camps outside the nation. This way people will understand that they are just being exposed for future successes and not for the present. It is not compulsory that we present a 4x400m relay team in London. Egbunike cannot perform magic. He must work with the tools at his disposal and we must stop all these jamborees.'Team Nigerian athletes preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Games are currently training in Atlanta, USA, under coach Innocent Igbunike.Ogba cautions that unnecessary criticism of Team Nigeria's preparation would not do the country any good in the build up to the London 2012 Olympic Games, saying: 'I don't want to join issues with anybody at this stage of our preparation for the games, but at the same time, I don't want people to always see things from negative angles only.'We are on the right path and those criticizing us should wait and see. The fact that the 4x400m relay team did not get it right at that particular meet does not mean that we have failed. There is still time to get things right. Why didn't they point accusing fingers when Blessing Okagbare ran a new 22.70 personal best in the 200m at the 54th annual Mount San Anthonio (Mt Sac) Relays in California' As I said, this is not the time for unnecessary criticism. We have to be focused in whatever we are doing now.'The Guardian recalls that Nigeria's brightest medal hope at the London Olympic Games, Okagbare, placed second behind Leslie Cole (22.63) in the 200m race at the event in California a few weeks ago.The Delta-born Okagbare, who picked a bronze medal in the long jump event four years ago at the Beijing Olympics, rarely competes in the 200m. But she opened her season with 22.81 seconds in a race early last month, which was then her second fastest time ever. She had ran 22.71 personal best two years ago in LignanoSabbiadoro in the province of Udinese in Italy.Also at the 54th annual Mount San Anthonio (Mt Sac) Relays in California, quartermiler, Bukola Abogunloko ran a new personal best of 51.87 to win the Women 400m for invited elite. The athlete was a member of Nigeria's 4x400m silver medal winning relay team at last IAAF World Junior Championships in Canada in 2010. Abogunloko's compatriot, Margaret Etim(54.53) placed seventh in the race.In the women's 400m hurdles, Ajoke Odumosu ran 55.78 seconds, her fastest 400m hurdles race in about two years to place second behind Georganne Moline (55.25) and raised hopes of a final appearance in the London Olympics.Though, the duo of Damola Osayomi and Agnes Osazuwa failed to impress in the 100m race, as they finished fifth (11.31 seconds) and sixth (11.34 ) respectively, their male counterparts did better, with the duo of Peter Emelieze (10.08) and Egwero Ogho-Oghene (10.13) coming third and fourth respectively in their 100m race. Emelieze was denied a new personal best in that race.Meanwhile, the Kayode Oluyemi Stadium in Akure will come alive this morning for the 3rd leg of the 2012 AFN/NDDC Golden League Jackpot. The first leg took place at the Adokie Amesiemeka Stadium in Port Harcourt while the second leg was held at the University of Nigeria Sports Complex, Nsukka, two weeks ago.According to the AFN, today's third leg in Akure will be explosive as it will witness the return of the male and female 100m event that were absent at the Nsukka leg.Some of the athletes to watch out for in Akure today include homeboy, Tamuno Briggs, who won the 200m in 21.34 two weeks ago in Nsukka.Ogba said yesterday that all arrangement to make today's 3rd leg of the AFN/NDDC Golden League Jackpot a hitch free had been put in place.
Click here to read full news..
